Ahhh... the promise of spring is upon us with Spring Break just around the sweet-smelling corner. The days are getting longer, the blooms are getting brighter and the whales are doing their thing, right on cue. Whether you’re staying with us during Spring Break or thinking about it, here's a line-up of Tofino happenings to make this year’s family getaway unforgettable.

With the busyness and indulgence of Christmas behind us, the post-eggnog countdown to 2015 is on. Whether you’re headed to a shindig with streamers or heading to the living room with a bowl of popcorn, New Year’s Eve is a time to reflect on the past year and look forward to the next. As we look back on another memorable year filled with new and returning friends and guests, we’re especially grateful for this incredible part of the world we get to call home.

Women instinctively know that there’s no better way to push pause on life’s demands, curve-balls, and hectic work and family schedules than a girls’ weekend. It’s an estrogen-fuelled almost primal need for getaway therapy – a soul-cleansing, no-brainer, no-men escape. And when the rally cry goes out, we answer the call with our Girlfriend Getaway Package.

As you can appreciate, everything about the Tofino region’s rainforest ecosystem involves conservation efforts. From protecting shorelines and wildlife to sustainable living, if it’s something environmentally oriented, the Raincoast Education Society (RES) is involved. And whether it’s the full-scale UNESCO Biosphere Reserve calibre projects RES has on the go, or Kids Camps right here at Pacific Sands, we’re big fans on every level.

It rains here. There we said it. Not all the time of course, but it’s called a rainforest for a reason. And if you haven’t experienced the magic of Tofino’s rainforests, you haven’t looked through the magnificent eyes of Mother Nature herself. Imagine trees so ancient, gnarled and huge you feel itty-bitty beside them. Dense mossy banks in more shades of green than you thought possible. Long sandy beaches and misty, relentless surf that shimmers as the sun breaks through. And the lure of countless unique things to do, inside and out.

Coffee is one of those things in life that makes everything feel better. A simple pleasure that makes us pause – even on the busiest of days – to ponder and put things in perspective. It wakes us up, brings us together, enhances a brunch and finishes a great dinner. And for anyone that’s enjoyed a Tofino beach walk with a coffee and the sound of the surf, it can be a religious experience. But as local roaster Tofino Coffee Co. will attest, there’s a science to good coffee.

As the only resort in Tofino with fully-equipped kitchens in every suite, we know how much that means to our guests. The ability to cook seaside with family, friends, or romantic meals for two is part of the Pacific Sands experience and has been for generations. We have most kitchen basics covered for culinary adventures during your stay, but as of Dec 21 visiting chefs will be able to borrow even more kitchen tools, appliances and cookware with our new Gourmet Pantry program.

Some things just go together naturally – beaches, weddings and love. Imagine getting married on a majestic beach dotted with sand dollars, Pacific breezes, sand between your toes, and misty surf – you can’t write that picture, but you can do it here. Which is why we’re so excited to be part of a Beach Wedding Dream Team. The perfect trifecta of blissfully easy beach weddings combining our all-suite Tofino accommodation beachfront on Cox Bay, professional wedding planning, and onsite catering. Somebody queue the whales and violins!

With so many summer camps to choose from, kids have lots to keep them busy...sports camps, dance camps, wilderness camps, and you-name-it camps. Which is probably why Pacific Sands Summer Kid’s Camps have always been a hit! Where else can kids discover the magic of a tide-pool, stroll through the jaw-dropping wisdom of an ancient rainforest, learn handy survival skills and get cozy with sea lions?!

Having cooked professionally for over 30 years including top hotels in Toronto, Whistler, Vancouver as well as The Clayoquot Wilderness Resort, Chef Tim May is now blazing culinary trails with Tofino’s RedCan Gourmet. And when it comes to Pacific Sands, from Beachside BBQ’s and catering resort events to delivering breakfast and pizza, he’s our resident culinary rockstar.